Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Global manufacturing experts, Preformed Windings, the world's leading supplier of preformed coils, associated products and services, could more than double its staff numbers over the next three years from new premises at Waleswood in Rotherham.

Rothbiz reported in August that the Sheffield firm was planning to invest around £2m in new premises at the Vector 31 development.

Acquired by Clyde Blowers in July 2014, the firm has seen a tripling in demand for its precision high voltage coils. Clyde Blowers Capital is a mid-market investor in industrial businesses and has committed significant investment to grow the company as part of the Parson Peebles Group.

Exporting to OEMs, repairers and end users worldwide, customers of Preformed Windings are in the power generation, electrical machinery, general engineering, oil & gas, water, transport, chemical, paper, extraction and shipping industries.

Having taken on the new 17,300 sq ft unit in the Summer, the £3m-turnover business has been working on relocating its manufacturing facility from Hackenthorpe.

Plans have recently been submitted for an electrical substation, additional plant enclosures - to house chiller and air compressor units - and a storage container at Vector 31. The works are essential to the operation of the facility that is being "custom-fitted to provide the state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities required for the company's expansion."

Dave Hardy, operations manager at Preformed Windings, said: "The current manufacturing facilities are located in a residential area of Sheffield and are not suitable for extension or significant changes to layout to maximise productivity. Therefore a high priority following the company's acquisition by Parson Peebles has been to move to newer, larger and suitable premises for growth.

"To maximise the opportunity available, significant investment needs to be made in state-of-the-art production facilities and plant and machinery. The relocation and expansion of the company will also require strengthening of the management structure and an increase in production staff.

"Recruitment has been ongoing with significant gains in management, sales and production levels, and it is anticipated that the company workforce will increase from 30 staff to around 70 staff over the next three years."

Developed by Network Space (previously known as Langtree), Vector 31 has proved popular due to its close proximity to the M1. It was developed over two phases and totals over 162,000 sq ft of industrial/warehouse units. Occupiers include Hermes, Century Plastics, CCPI Europe and Suplex UK. The Sheffield office of Knight Frank has been agents for the scheme.